Carlton Cole
EXCLUSIVE
The Irons are all set to create a £50,000 savings in their wage bill as they bid to attract a top striker into the club.
Claretandhugh learned today (Mon) that the departure of Mladen Petric will save £30,000 a week in wages and that he is “99 per cent certain” to be followed out of the club by £20,000 a week Carlton Cole.
We have learned that following a decision to keep the rapidly improving Modibo Maiga at the club, the decision to let Cole depart is all but made.
Modibo Maiga’s upsurge in form has eased the pressure to an extent as the club look to get a deal for a quality front man done.
We were told: “It’s a tricky old business. You think you have a player in the bag only to be told he’s gone elsewhere.”
However, Sam Allardyce’s comments on the official that the targets we have been hunting are either unavailable or are looking elsewhere received an amused response.
Our source said: “Sam may be playing the ‘poor me’ card a little bit at the moment – we are all working very hard to maker deals happen.
“With the problems at the back there’s a case for looking in that area too but we are not going to bring in any journeymen – we have to make sure we get better than we have.”
No problem with Petric’s departure but would keep Carlton, just to keep pressure on MM to perform. He was dreadful early in the season but was starting – until Sam decided to go striker-less anyway – as there was no alternative. Competition for places improves players
I’d like to think that any incoming striker would be the one to put Maiga under pressure. One of them has to got to go to free up salary space.
With the names we’ve been linked with, and the Board’s track record in the summer window – an easier window to do business in than January – I’m not convinced that anyone coming in will be any better than Carlton. We need a proven goalsocorer with experience in the English leagues who can hit the ground running, not some one that’s never player here that will take a month to acclimatise to the pace of the PL